Abrasive apparatus



c. A. WETHINGTON W 3,499,195

March 10, 1970 ABRAS IVE APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I Filed June 7, 1967INVENTOR. CHARLES A. WETHINGTON ATTORNEY March 10, 1970 C. A. WETHINGTONABRASIVE APPARATUS s sheets-sheet 2 Filed June 7, 1967 INVENTOR.

CHARLES A.WETHINGTON- F/G. "2'

gaun- ATTORNEY March 10, 1970 c. WETHlNGTO N ABRASIVE APPARATUS FiledJun v, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. -3-

I INVENTOR.

CHARLES A.WETH I NGTON ATTORNEY United States Patent ABRASIVE APPARATUSCharles A. Wethington, Spartanburg, S.C., assignor to Deering MillikenResearch Corporation, Spartanburg,

S.C., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 7, 1967, Ser. No. 644,292Int. Cl. D02j 3/02 US. CI. 28-67 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREApparatus to deluster or dull the gloss of both sides of a syntheticribbon yarn such as polypropylene by running a multiplicity of yarn endsover a series of abrading wheels. The apparatus includes a traversemeans to traverse the yarn and a mechanical means to position theabrading wheels for easy thread-up of the yarn.

This invention relates generally to apparatus for abrading syntheticribbon type yarn and more specifically to apparatus for abrading bothsides of a synthetic yarn such as polypropylene.

It has been found for certain uses of synthetic yarn the glossy finishmust be dulled for most efficient utility. An example of the use of suchyarn would be for sand bags where it is absolutely necessary to have adull finish so that no light will be reflected therefrom to expose theposition of our fortifications to the opposing force. Another example ofthe use of a dulled finish synthetic yarn would be for the backing ofcarpets where it is necessary that light not be reflected through thepile in the carpet from the backing.

Many methods have been employed in attempts to achieve an efficientdulling of the surface of a synthetic ribbon type yarn but each has hadserious drawbacks. One method utilized was to use non-gloss compoundsduring extrusion of the yarn. In addition, it is known to add certainadditives such as titanium dioxide to the standard product to beextruded and to the above-mentioned non-gloss compound. These twomethods dulled the finish somewhat but it was found that after drawingof the yarn the surface of the yarn tended to take on a glossyappearance. Another method is to extrude a mat finish on a woven fabricmade from synthetic ribbon yarn. This method produced a satisfactoryproduct but the price of the fabric was so high that it could not becommercially exploited.

Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a machine to dullthe finish of a synthetic yarn in an etficient and economical manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine to abrade boththe surfaces of a polypropylene ribbon yarn to provide a non-gloss yarnfor specialized utility.

Other objects and advantages will be clearly apparent as thespecification proceeds to describe the invention with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective partially cut away of the new and improvedyarn abrading apparatus;

I FIGURE 2 is a side view of the apparatus of FIGURE 1 showing theabrading rolls in the thread-up position and FIGURE 3 is a very similarto FIGURE 2 showing the machine in the operative position.

Looking now to the drawings and especially to FIGURE 1 the referencenumeral 10 represents the new and improved yarn abrading machine. In thepreferred form of the invention the material to be dulled or abraded isribbon polypropylene yarn since its intended use is for sandbags and hasthe characteristic of being strong and is not effected by ageing orexposure to water or air for long periods of time.

3,499,195 Patented Mar. 10, 1970 "Ice The operative elements of theabrading machine 10 are mounted on a suitable support structure definedby upright corner members 12, support members 14 extending betweencorner members 12 and top plate member 16. An additional support plate18 extends across the width of the machine 10 and is suitably connectedto the support members 14 and the bottom of top plate member 16.

An upright support member 20 is welded or otherwise secured to the topplate member 16 and supports channel section 22 to which is secured aplate 24 that supports a small motor 26. Also secured to the channelsection 22 'is a pair of plate members 28 (only one of which is shown)which support bearings 30 for the traverse idler roll 32. The idler roll32 has a plurality of grooves 34 therein to guide the incoming ribbon tothe machine. Preferably, one ribbon to be delustered will be located ineach groove 34 so that the number of grooves 34 in the traverse idlerroll 32 depends upon the number of ribbons of yarn that is desired to bedulled at one time. To distribute the wear on the abrasive paper of theabrasive drums 36 and 38 and to prevent buildup of dust from the yarnbeing abraded the traverse idler roll is connected through suitablelinkage 40 to the eccentric 42 connected to the motor 26 to traverseidler roll 32.

Mounted in suitable bearings 44 on the top plate member 16 is a movableidler roll 46 to hold the incoming yarn in the grooves 34 of thetraverse idler roll 32 and to prevent the ribbons from turning over onthe abrasive roll 36. The idler roll 46 is supported by short swing arms48 which are fixed to shaft 50 rotatably supported in the bearings 44.Also fixed to the shaft 50 substantially perpendicular to the swing arms48 is another swing arm 52 which maintains the idler roll 46 inoperative position by the engagement of the corner member 12 with aspring loaded pin member 54 which prevents rotation of the shaft 50 inthe counterclockwise direction. When threading the machine up the springloaded pin member 54 is pulled outwardly against the bias of the leftspring 56 and the shaft 50 is then allowed to rotate in acounterclockwise direction to lower the idler roll 46.

In the preferred form of the invention two abrasive rolls 36 and 38 areemployed with the roll 36 being in a fixed position and the roll 38being pivotally supported. Preferably the rolls 36 and 38 are made ofsteel tubing with emery paper, or other suitable abrasive paper, gluedto the steel tubing through the use of a water soluble adhesive whichcan be readily dissolved when it is necessary to replace the emery paperwhen it is worn out.

Abrasive roll 36 is mounted in a fixed cantilevered position byvertically oriented support 20 which supports the bearings (not shown)through which the shaft 58 of the roll 36 projects. The shaft 58projects outwardly of the support plate 20 for the reasons hereinafterexplained.

Abrasive roll 38 is pivotally supported relative to the top plate 16 bya shaft 60 rotatably secured in bearings 62 which are screwed orotherwise secured to the top plate 16. Shaft 60 is operatively connectedto roll 38 through swing arms 63 and 64 rigidly secured thereto androtating therewith to rotate the abrasive roll 38. A lever arm 66rigidly secured to the shaft 60 rotates the shaft 60 and the abrasiveroll 38 from the position shown in FIGURE 2 to the position shown inFIGURE 3 when the pneumatically operated piston 68 is supplied air underpressure to raise the piston rod 70 to rotate the lever arm 66.Pneumatically operated piston 68 is mounted in support plate 18 in anysuitable manner.

Mounted on each of the swing arms 63 and 64 is a plate member 71 whichhas a slot 72 therein through which the shaft 74 of idler roll 76projects and is secured thereto. The outer sleeve of-the idler roll 76is mounted internally an bearings and rotates with respect to its shaft74. [dler roll 76 is adjustable in the slot 72 to control the amount ofwrap of the ribbons on the abrasive roll 38 ;o that the delustering ordulling effect on the top and Jottom of the ribbon yarn can beequalized.

Preferably the abrasive rolls 36 and 38 rotate in a diection opposite tothe direction of travel of the yarn ;hereover. In the specificembodiment the ribbon yarn is :raveling at a linear speed ofapproximately 500 ft./ min. while the abrasive rolls are traveling at alinear speed of lpproximately 1000 ft./min. in the opposite directionproviding a relative linear speed between the abrasive Tolls and theyarn 'being treated of approximately 1500 Ft./min. To drive the abrasiverolls a motor 78 is mounted Jeneath the top plate 16 and throughsuitable means such is a chain drive and/or gear train drives both therolls 56 and 38.

Looking now to FIGURES 2 and 3 the operation of the apparatus will beexplained. In the preferred form of the nvention at least fifty ends ofpolypropylene ribbon yarn .s to be delustered or dulled at the sametime. FIGURE 2 illustrates the machine in the thread-up position. Pinnember 54 has been released allowing idler roll 46 to drop ut of theyarn path. The air pressure to pneumatically )perated piston 68 has beenreleased and the abrading "011 38 has rotated to a position below theyarn path. It :an readily be seen that a straight line path is provided:hrough the machine to thread up the yarn 80. The op- :rator of themachine takes the predetermined number of 1am ends from the yarn supply(not shown) and, with :he machine 10 at rest, runs these ends throughthe ma- :hine successively under traverse idler roll 32, over idler .01146, under abrading roll 36, over abrading roll 38 and hen is supplied toa waste take-up package (not shown). The waste take-up package is thenactuated and yarn is :hen pulled through the machine. Then idler roll 46is 'otated into the operative position shown in FIGURE 3 :ausing theyarn 80 to contact the traverse idler roll 32 1nd the abrading roll 36.After the idler roll 46 has been placed in operative position each ofthe individual yarn :nds is placed in a separate groove 34 of thetraverse dler roll 32. Then the machine 10 is started up and air ssupplied to the piston 68 to rotate the abrading roll 38 :o the positionshown in FIGURE 3. Then, if necessary, :he roll 76 is adjusted up ordown to provide the correct amount of wrap of yarn 80 on the abradingroll 38 to :qualize the abrasion of both sides of the yarn 80. Theperator then takes individually the yarn ends off the waste take-up roll(not shown) and supplies them to the iormal take-up rolls (also notshown). The yarn then is :ontinuously abraded and taken up until theoperation is :hut down.

The herein disclosed apparatus provides an efiicient and economicalmethod to deluster or dull the surface of a synthetic yarn. Theapparatus is simple in'construction,

economical to manufacture and is elficient in operation.

Although I have described in detail the preferred embodiment of myinvention, I contemplate that many changes may be made without departingfrom the scope or spirit of my invention.

That which is claimed is:

1. A machine to deluster the surface of a glossy yarn comprising: meansguiding a plurality of ends of yarn through said machine, a firstabrading roll means mounted in said machine to abrade one side of saidyarn and a second abrading roll means pivotally mount d in said machineto abrade the other side of said yarn and be capable of being moved outof the path of travel of said yarn.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said second abrading roll meansincludes a means to adjust the amount of wrap of yarn around said rollmeans.

3. A machine to deluster the surface of a glossy yarn comprising: meansguiding a plurality of ends of yarn through said machine, said guidingmeans including grooved idler roll, each of said grooves in said idleraccommodating one end of yarn, a first abrading roll means mounted insaid machine to abrade one side of said yarn and a second abrading rollmeans mounted in said machine to abrade the other side of said yarn.

4. The structure of claim 3 wherein said guiding means further includesa second idler roll means to maintain said yarn in said grooves in saidgrooved idler roll.

5. The structure of claim 4 wherein means are provided to traverse saidgrooved idler roll to spread the wear on said abrading rolls by saidyarn across the surface thereof.

6. The structure of claim 5 wherein means are provided to traverse saidgrooved idler roll to spread the wear on said abrading rolls by saidyarn across the surface thereof.

7. The structure of claim 6 wherein said means to pivot said secondabrading roll means is a pneumatically operated piston.

8. The structure of claim 3 wherein means are provided to pivotallymount said second abrading roll means and to pivot said second abradingroll means out of the path of travel of said yarn.

9. The structure of claim 8 wherein said guiding means further includesa second idler roll means to maintain said yarn in said grooves in saidgrooved idler roll.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1941 Hanse 28---67 X 1/1966Tlamicha 2867 US. Cl. X.R. 51-80

